![]() (Credit: Steve Fairbairn/USFWS)īut when DDT was banned, bald eagles made a remarkable comeback. The bald eagle is America’s bird – a symbol of freedom and a poster child for successful conservation. That’s because the eagles were being killed by a chemical compound called DDT, which was being used as a pesticide following World War II. In the 1960s, government scientists found only about four hundred nesting pairs of bald eagles in existence. But there was a time we nearly wiped them out. MICHAEL LIVINGSTON, BYLINE: The bald eagle is America’s bird – a symbol of freedom. Today’s episode, Taking the Shot to Save the Eagles. And reporter Michael Livingston follows Apollo to see if he’ll survive. We're going to explore how lead is poisoning and killing bald eagles at alarming rates. The problem is, lead is in a ton of things: old paint, water pipes, car exhaust. WANSCHURA: Long-term exposure has been linked to brain damage and organ failure in humans. (News clips highlighting lead contamination dangers from around the region) We’ve all heard about it before: lead and its devastating effects. That’s because Apollo has poisonous levels of lead in his blood. He doesn’t have the strength to make any noise right now. He sighs deeply and cracks open his bright yellow eyes. But right now he’s slumped over in his enclosure. Apollo still has patches of brown feathers on his head, which means he can’t be more than five-years old. WANSCHURA: That’s Jonah Wojnar and Darlene Smith from the Wildside Rehab Center. (Credit: Michael Livingston/Points North) A beautiful, young bald eagle.Īpollo, a young bald eagle is being treated for lead poisoning at Wildside Rehabilitation Center in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. But these two volunteers are checking in on their patient. And this time, I have someone really special for you all to meet.ĭARLENE SMITH: Can you feel the heat under there Jonah? Are we at a good temp? ![]() Special thanks: Wildside Rehabilitation Center, Skegemog Raptor Center, University of Minnesota Raptor CenterĭAN WANSCHURA, HOST: This is Points North: A show about the land, water and inhabitants of the Great Lakes. ![]() Music: Run To Life, One Man Book, Hans Troost Subscribe and listen to Points North wherever you find podcasts: Apple | Spotify So, some hunters and ecologists are trying to change that. Raptor centers around the region continue to take in birds with severe symptoms.Įxperts point to lead bullets left behind by hunters as a leading cause for this trend. It’s equally as devastating in wildlife.Ī 2022 study finds that about half of adult bald eagles in North America have chronic lead poisoning. Long-term exposure has been linked to brain damage and organ failure in humans. We’ve all heard about lead before, and its dangerous side effects. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |